Urban Design and Landscape Plan

Urban Design and Landscape Plan Submissions Report

Following community consultation on the Urban Design and Landscape Plan, a submissions report was compiled. The report outlines and addresses the comments raised throughout the consultation period, and includes the responses from Roads and Maritime Services.

Requests for Expressions of Interest to tender now open

The NSW Government is now inviting Requests for Expressions of Interest to tender for the construction of the new Windsor Bridge. Tendering will be by invitation only from those who submit a ROI and are appropriately qualified. Applications close on 1 November 2017.

Urban Design and Landscape Plan

Roads and Maritime prepared a draft Urban Design and Landscape Plan (the draft Plan) to show how the integrated design process has carefully considered the built, natural and community environment with particular sensitivity to the unique heritage values of the area. The draft Plan was available for community comment from 13 March to 7 April.

The draft Urban Design and Landscape Plan has now been finalised as has the Submissions Report.:

Updates and announcements

A surveyor will be in the Windsor Bridge area on Friday 22 September to gather information for future salvage work.

Artist's impression looking south from bridge

Three lanes to operate from opening

To realise greater traffic improvements from the new Windsor Bridge, Roads and Maritime Services will be implementing the three lane configuration of the bridge from opening. This change was originally scheduled to occur in 2026.

The new bridge, with two lanes southbound and one northbound, will increase traffic capacity and complement upgraded intersections on both sides of the Hawkesbury River.

Project background

Originally built for horse-drawn vehicles and foot traffic in 1874, Windsor Bridge is now used by up to 19,000 vehicles every day. The existing structure has deteriorated and reached the end of its useful life. It no longer meets current road design standards so it needs to be replaced.

Roads and Maritime investigated a number of different options including repairing and replacing the bridge. We found restoration of the existing structure would only add a limited period to the life of the bridge before additional costly repairs or replacement would be needed.

Community consultation on the project began in 2009 and has continued throughout the development process. We have considered the issues raised during consultation together with environmental and heritage studies in finalising the design.

Key features

A new bridge with two lanes 35 metres downstream of the existing Windsor Bridge

New approach roads and intersections to connect the new bridge to the existing road network

New traffic lights with pedestrian facilities at the intersection of Bridge Street and George Street

Modifications to local roads and access arrangements, including changes to the Macquarie Park access road and reconnection of The Terrace

A new dual lane roundabout at the intersection of Wilberforce Street and Freemans Reach Road

A pedestrian and cyclist facilities, including a shared path for access to and across the new bridge

Removal and backfill of the existing bridge approach roads

Removal of the existing bridge once the new bridge is operational

Landscaping and urban design work, including within the Thompson Square parkland area and adjacent to the northern intersection of Wilberforce Road, Freemans Reach Road and the Macquarie Park access road.

Project benefits

Key benefits of the project include:

Improved safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists from a new, reliable bridge

Upgrading an essential local and regional road link across the Hawkesbury River at Windsor

Improved traffic efficiency by installing traffic lights at the intersection of Bridge and George Streets and a new dual-lane roundabout at Freemans Reach Road and Wilberforce Road

A new bridge that can cope with higher levels of flooding

Better access for pedestrians and cyclists from a three metre wide shared pedestrian and cycle path that provides safe, efficient connections to Thompson Square and surrounds

Reduced road footprint within the Thompson Square heritage precinct

A unified open space in Thompson Square increasing the usable area in the square by more than 500 square metres with direct access to the river.

Community engagement

Roads and Maritime has carried out extensive consultation with the community and stakeholders since the project was announced in 2008. We have used a number of different methods to keep the community informed including project update newsletters, letterbox drops, newspaper advertisements, community information sessions and meetings, website updates, shopping centre displays and doorknocking.

Feedback was first invited from the community in July 2009 when nine different options were displayed for comment. Following the announcement of the preferred option in August 2011, further feedback was invited from the community to inform the concept design.

A third consultation period was carried out in November and December 2012 with the display of the concept design and environmental impact statement. We prepared a submissions report outlining the submissions received and our responses.

We will invite further feedback from the community in early 2017 on proposed urban design and landscaping for the project.

Ticket counting

Roads and Maritime Services recently carried out routine traffic counting surveys as part of the Windsor Bridge replacement design process.

The traffic survey took place in March.

Electronic devices were used to count traffic numbers and vehicle movements at intersections, and queue lengths at:

Bridge Street / Wilberforce Road / Freemans Reach Road

Bridge Street / George Street

Bridge Street / Macquarie Street

Bridge Street / Court Street

The information collected will be used to inform the final design of the Windsor Bridge replacement.

Next steps

The detailed design for the project continues to be developed based on the important archaeological investigations, archival recording and environmental monitoring activities to meet our conditions of approval.

In the coming weeks, Roads and Maritime will invite feedback from the community and stakeholders on the three volumes of the draft Strategic Conservation Management Plan. This will include the detailed results of the archaeological testing program.